Courageous human rights campaigner, activist and writer, Thomas Paine played an integral part in both the American and French revolutions. In London, he was an outcast on the run from the law and one night, found refuge in the garden of acclaimed poet, William Blake and his wife, who happened to be naked up a tree, reading Paradise Lost.
It is this historic scene that inspired Jack Shepherd to write his beautiful play, In Lambeth, which is revived this summer at the Southwark Playhouse.
The show toured recently, starring the writer himself, who you may also recognise as the heroic detective from the ITV series, Wycliffe. Prior to this, Jerusalem star and ex-artistic director of the Glove, Mark Rylance played the part of William Blake. The cast for this production is yet to be announced, but with a strong history of prominent actors, we have high expectations.
This is an immensely important and moreover fascinating play that asks what it really means to be a free man from the perspective of an academic and an artist.
Despite the density of his subject, Shepherd still manages to articulate with poetry: “Prisons are built with the stones of law; brothels with the bricks of religion.”
What | In Lambeth, Southwark Playhouse |
Where | Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London, SE1 6BD | MAP |
Nearest tube | Elephant & Castle (underground) |
When |
10 Jul 14 – 02 Aug 14, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM |
Price | £10-£18 |
Website | Click here to book via Southwark Playhouse |